What would you do?

[MochaRN424, ASN]

Asking all seasoned nurses please. I am very disappointed with how my last positon ended. I was never written up, nor was I late. I performed my duties as assigned even though I was not given proper orientation to the unit. I requested learning opportunities only for them to be ignored. My peers spoke well of me so no issues there. I did not see the nurse manager because I worked the night shift.

I was currently on the Mother Infant Unit for 6 months but previously I had 1 year of Women's surgical oncology experience. I was falsely led into this position because I was not told until 1 month after I started that it was a night position. I had my 2nd daughter in 2008 and had no desire to work the night shift. This was never discussed during the interview. During this interview this nurse manager asked me what I was looking for. I expressed that I desired a position that would allow me to work Fridays and Saturdays and she was fine with this.

I accepted a PRN which is a first for me since I needed benefits and definitely needed more experience. When I had a meeting with the nurse manager she became very angry because I would not agree that she told me about the night position. When I spoke to a few of my peers it was stated by at least two of them that she did the same thing to them. She then apologied that Monday stating she didn't know why she took our coversation so personal.

I should have walked off the job when she acted the way that she did but unfortunatley I had always wanted to work on a mother infant unit or so I thought. I kept asking for experience in starting IVs because my first job did not allow this they had an IV team. This was mentioned during the interview process. What happened is I ended up working the night shift and I really needed a position with benefits which was also discussed during the interview. I expressed the desire to work in the nursery so that I could one day move into the NICU. This too was discussed during the interview. They chose to start me off on the floor with moms...I already had experience in providing care to women monitoring for bleeding and infection etc... Because of all the teen moms that came to the floor I felt like more of a waitress than a nurse.

I was told that this particular manager was fair and would appreciate me being honest. In my heart I did not think so and I did not listen to my gut feeling. Instead I requested a meeting expressing that I would like to continue on this unit as a true PRN (this was my only position) but I would like the opportunity to seek out a position with benefits. She told me that she supported me and that it was fine (I was not there a year-I hate this rule). She then pulls me off the schedule for April mind you my husband was just laid off from his engineering position along with two other men.

I would always submit my dates of availability she now for two months ignored my emails and phone calls. I got tired and requested a meeting with her manager (something that I did not want to do). Meeting with her boss made no difference she expressed how perhaps the nurse manager missed it..basically making excuses. I was not officially terminated until July 2010 why because supposedly she was allowing me time to find another position! Does anyone see anything wrong with this picture? I could have been working this whole time but no I sat here while looking for other positions at that institution as well as others with no income coming in.

Now when I finally apply for unemployment which is a joke...she reports that I resigned but of course I have the emails in which she states that she is terminating me and what date did I want to have put down. My question is should I contact the chief nursing offficer which is the boss to my nurse manager's boss? I want to let her know how I have been treated. This was all personal and if anyone should be upset technically it should be me since I asked my mother to come down from NY to VA and help us with the baby so I could do orientation for such a lame position.

She then has the nerve to tell me that my schedule and hers were not a match. But...she has posted benefited positions that are part time at night. In one of my emails I asked what her needs were and she did not respond. So sorry for the length of this message but I am just shocked that someone with about 25 years of experience who is obviously waiting to retire would perform in such an unprofessional manner.

[Cherish]

I'm so sorry this happened to you. At least you have the emails so if anything happens and you need to file for unemployment you have something to support your claim just in case you get an appeal. Most unemployment offices have representatives for this sort of thing when there is a dispute among employee and employer and with those emails it looks like you were terminated so you should receive unemployment benefits. I can't comment on what to do since I am still in NS school so I am not going to try to act like I know what your going through but I have been in the unemployment situation before and presently in it. I was laid off in my last job but I also was the offices HR, benefits, payroll, accounts, supply, drug test coordinator person so I can comment on that stuff. Good luck in your job searches.

[MochaRN424, ASN]

Cherish yes you are not a seasoned nurse yet but I still wanted to thank you for your response to me. Yes you do have the background otherwise so you have an idea of what I am dealing with. :)

[classicdame, MSN, EdD]

talk to HR to see if any policies were broken.

[ohmeowzer RN, RN]

you got the bums rush.. i am so sorry you wasted your time with this.. i can tell you i would call HR like the above poster stated and bring a copy of those emails to HR and tell them what happened... i would also write up a statement and give a copy to HR along with copies of the emails... please keep us posted on what happens !!

[happy2learn]

I'm not a seasoned nurse, just a student, but I just wanted to offer my support to you.

It's unbelievable how unprofessional she acted, and I'm so sorry you are going through this. :hug:

I am glad that you have those emails. I was in a similar situation. I was fired from a job because I kept getting sick. I know something in that building made me sick. But I had no proof that they fired me. They said I quit, which was bs. I was trying to work something out with them, trying to transfer to another building because any time I worked in a different building, I didn't get sick, just this one (old warehouse type, never cleaned in 14 years.)

So I didn't get unemployment. My word against theirs.

I hope you find a new job soon!

[Up2nogood RN, RN]

Did you sign an offer letter and for what type of position? Sorry she wasted your time and yanked your chain. I've learned the hard way that unless it's in writing I don't take anyone for their word anymore.

[Jules A, MSN]

I also always get an offer in writing. Unfortunately you accepted a PRN position and that means there are no benefits and they can use you or not as they choose. It does sound like your NM was nasty and sadly that is often the case but if it makes you feel better write her supervisor. Personally I'd let it go because much of this is she said/she said and not at all unusual for PRN positions in my experience. I would just let it go rather than irritate someone that I may need a job from in the future. Good luck finding the position you really want.

[MochaRN424, ASN]

Ohmeowzer, thank you so much for your response...HR was well aware of what was happening as well as employee relations. I did not go to the head of HR but was dealing with recruiter not sure what her level is. I have just written letters to the Chief Nursing Officer and Chief Executive Nursing Officer to make them aware of what has happened in hopes that it will not happen to someone else.

[MochaRN424, ASN]

Happy2learn thank you I appreciate that!!!!

[MochaRN424, ASN]

I also always get an offer in writing. Unfortunately you accepted a PRN position and that means there are no benefits and they can use you or not as they choose. It does sound like your NM was nasty and sadly that is often the case but if it makes you feel better write her supervisor. Personally I'd let it go because much of this is she said/she said and not at all unusual for PRN positions in my experience. I would just let it go rather than irritate someone that I may need a job from in the future. Good luck finding the position you really want.

I understand what you are saying...this was my first and last PRN position. I do have emails that show that this is truly personal..the bad part is she dosent even know me to really form a true opinion because I worked the night shift. I contacted her supervisor and she was of no help. But thank you for your response...I am making sure to remain professional even though she has not.